Chables w



(No Model.)

O. W. WEISS.

ATMOSPHERIO ENGINE.

No. 351,081. Patented 001;. 19, 1886.

N. PETERS. Plvom-Lmmgraphcr, Washmgwn, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES V. WEISS, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES KRUSE, OFNEW YORK, N. Y.

ATMOSPHERIC ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,081, dated October19, 1886.

Application filed July 3, 1886. Serial No. 207,073. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. WEISS, of Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Atmospheric Engines; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full and exact description thereof, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, makm ing a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is aside elevation of my improved atmospheric engine; Fig. 2, a centraldiametric section through the cylinder and base thereof.

This invention relates to that class of engines in which the piston isdriven in one direction by atmospheric pressure. the pressure on theopposite side of the piston being reduced below that of the atmosphereby the condensation of a charge of highly-rarefied air admittedthereto.-

It has for its object to obtain a greater amount of work in an engine ofgiven dimensions with a less consumption of fuel by supplying thereto aworking-charge of rarefied air and gases at a much higher temperaturethan in the engines of this class heretofore constructed, and in morequickly condensing and discharging the same; and it consists in soconstructing the engine, in manner as hereinafter described, as that theintensely-hot flame and products of combustion from a suitable burnershall be drawn directly into a hot-air chamber, be displaced from saidhot-air-chamher, and delivered into a separate condensingchamber foreffective work without cooling the hot-air chamber, and, finally, aftereffecting by its condensation a movement of the working-piston underatmospheric pressure, be discharged from the machine.

My improved atmospheric engine is constructed of a hot-air cylinder, A,(see Fig. 1,) closed at its outer end by a suitable head-plate, b, inwhich is formed a narrow elongated flameopening, 0. The opposite end ofthe cylinder A is left open and provided with an exterior flange, a, bymeans whereof it is bolted to the open end of a separatecondensing-cylinder, D, of the same internal diameter, and which isprovided with a counterpart exterior flange, a, to receive theconnecting-bolts.

The hot-air cylinder may be formed of sheet metal, but thecondensing-cylinder D is preferably made of cast-iron. The outer end ofthe condensing-cyliuderD is closed by a solid head, E, preferablyrecessed on its outer face to receive and protect a valve, F, which,playing upon a piston-rod, G, carried through an enlarged centralopening or port in the head, serves to close said port. The valve isheld against theport to close it by means of a spring, 0. An extendedpiston, B, (see Fig. 2,) ot'a diameter somewhat smaller than that of theinner periphery of the connected cylinders A and D, is attached to thepiston-roll G, and is guided and centeredin the cylinder D by m eans 6of an annular offset, 11, formed onthe internal periphery of thiscondensingcylinder near to its inner end, said offset being made, toembrace the piston closely, aud thereby serve as a partition in theconcentric space around it. to cut off communication between the hot-airchamber 6 of the one cylinder, A, and the condensing-chamber f of theother cylinder, D. The piston B is made hollow, and is hermeticallyclosed at both ends. Its inner end, playing in the hot-air chamber 0,and against which the flame and hot-air admitted from the open ing Ostrikes, is outwardly lined with a layer, g, of asbestos or othernon-conducting material. The outer end of the piston-rod G works in abearing in a bracket or pedestal, H, which may be made fast to the headE of the cylinder D, as shown in the drawings, or otherwise properlysupported. It is coupled in the customary manner to the crank l on theend of the crank-shaft J of the engine by means of a connecting-rod, K,pivoted thereto, the crankshaft being supported in bearings upon adouble bracket or pedestal, H, likewise made fast to the cylinder D, orotherwise supported in connection therewith. This shaft carries thedriving-pulley, and also a fly-whcel, to cause it to rotate with auniform speed, as is customary in engines of this class.

The outer end of the condensiug-cylinderD 5 'is surrounded by awater-jacket, 1), within which a circulation is maintained by means ofcirculating-pipes DD", connecting it with a watertank, D, or with a pumpor other suitable water-supply. I00

Annnlar grooves i t" are forme din theinner wall of the cylinder D, oneach side of the offset 21, and ports jj are pierced through the side ofthe cylinder in line with each other to communicate severally with saidgrooves. A

slide-valve, L, is fitted to cover these two ports, and so constructedas to establish communication between them, and consequently between thehot-air and condensing chambers in one position thereof, and to cut offthecommunication in the next position. This slidevalve. is actuated atthe proper moment in the work of the engine by means of an eccentric, M,on the main shaft, and a coupling-rod, N.

The two cylinders A and D are insulated from each other by an interposedpackingring, m, of asbestos or its equivalent, to prevent a conductionof heat from the hotair cylinder A to the condensing-cylinder D.

The narrow extended flame opening 0, in the outer end of the hot-aircylinder A, is governed by a slide-valve, O, mounted in suitable ways totraverse said opening, and which is operated to open and close the sameat the proper moment by means of a bell-crank, P, pivoted to thepedestal of the main shaft, and whose longer arm is extended into linewith the slide-valve, and coupled thereto by a link,

P, and whose shorter arm is coupled to an cecentric, Q, on the mainshaft by arod, Q, pivoted to said short arm with a loose joint.

Immediately below or in front of the flame opening or port 0 in theouter end of the hotair cylinder A a lamp, R, or a suitable burner ofany description, is placed in such position as that the flame andproducts of combustion therefrom will be drawn directly into the port 0whenever it is opened. Where allamp, R, is employed, the flame isregulated automatically by means ofa toothed wheel or segment, S,engaging the wick, and which is partially rotated in either direction bymeans of a radial arm, S, coupled by alink, S, to one arm of abell-crank, 8, whose other arm is actuated by means of a governor, 8*,of any suitable construction, attached to the main shaft J. p

In the operation of the machine thus simply constructed, as the piston Bmoves outwardly ,the hot fiamefrom the burner R is drawn into thecylinder A, so that the hot-air chamber e becomes filled withhighly-rarefied air and gases. As the piston moves outwardly, the

slide-valve O closes, the adjustment of the several parts of the enginebeing so regulated as that the hot flame is drawn into the cylinderwhile the piston-crank is moving through about three quarters of thefirst half of its revolution. At this point the valve 0 closes,completely shutting off the inflow of hot air.

During the next quarter-turn of the crank the piston still continues tomove in the same outward direction, so that the rarefied air and gasesinclosed in the hot'air cylinder are thereby allowed and caused toexpand more fully. As the piston approaches the extreme end of itsoutward stroke, the valve L, controlling the ports j j, begins to opento allow a free passage high speed.

for the hot air by way of said ports from the chamber 0 intothecondensingchamber f. This valve L remains open while the crank'iscompleting the second half of its revolution and the'piston, carried bythe momentum of the fly-wheel, is making its return or inward stroke,the valve being closed, however, alittle before thestroke is completed,to leave an air-cushion in front of the piston, as is required inreciprocating engines running at a As the piston returns into thehot-air chamber 6, it displaces fully all the rarefied air therein andforces it into the condensing-chamber f. So soon as the hot air passesinto the cooler chamber f it begins to condense, by reason of contactwith the walls thereof, and this condensation continues until the pistonhas completedits inward stroke and expelled the rarefied air from thehot-air ton has completed its inward stroke, and its 1 crank has passedthecenter, the valve 0 quickly opens, and the valve L being now closedthe full atmospheric pressure is brought to bear upon the piston toforce it outward and cause it to draw in afresh supply of hot air fromthe burner B. So soon as by the outward movement of the piston apressure is created inthe chamberf, the exhaust-valve F in the head ofthe cylinder D opens automatically, and allows the greatly-reducedVolume of condensed air in said working or condensing chamber f to befreely discharged.

As the internal pressure obtained by condensation of the hot air inthis-engine is, un-

der ordinary circumstances, about five pounds to the squareinch, theworking-pressure upon the piston when the hot-air valve 0 opens is aboutten pounds to the square inch.

. The engine is designed to be worked at a high speed, The air is drawninto the hotair cylinder at its maximum temperature when most highlyrarefied, and being forced out in its rarefied condition into thechamber of the condensing-cylinder is therein instantly cooled to createthe partial vacuum by reason of which the motor is actuated. The hot-aircylinder becomes very hot, so that it will not materially condense theair admitted thereto, but, being separated by a non-conducting packingor otherwise from the condensing cylinder, does notaffect the effectiveoperation of the latter.

I am aware that it is not new to construct an atmospheric engine inwhich the piston" moves in a cylinder provided with an admis-{sion-po'rtand valve for hot air at one end, and with a passageconnecting the two ends of the cylinder and having an outlet-porttherein, said passage being controlled by a valve which opens thecommunication between the two ends of the cylinder and closes the outletas the piston descends and opens the outlet and closes the communicationwhen the piston ascends; but in this form of engine the hot air iscondensed in the hot-air chamber, the chamber will soon become so hot asto p revent a condensation of the air, and the engine will ceaserunning; or,if the chamber be cooled artificially, the hot air isunnecessarily robbed of its heat. By myinvention this loss of heat isavoided. The temperature of the hot-aircham ber remains almost constant.The temperature of the fresh supply of hot air is not lowered before itis brought into effective use, and when the air is fully rarefied andexpanded it is condensed under the most favorable conditions inaseparate chamber, which is kept comparatively cool.

I am also aware that an air-engine has been devised in which hot airfrom pipes encircling a furnace is admitted into a chamber against oneend of a piston, and thence discharged through a valve-chest andcommunicating-passages into a chamber at the opposite end of the piston,the air being cooled and condensed in its passage from the one chamberto the other by suitable refrigerati ng appliances, and finallydischarged from the upper chamber as the piston enters it by means of anautomatic valve. In my invention the hot-air chamber is supplieddirectly from a burner with flame and products of combustion at thehighest possible temperature, and the transfer of the hot air and gasesfrom the hot-air to the condensing chamber is effected directly andgoverned positively, so that a far greater efficiency is obtained,and amore simple and powerful engine is produced than by the devicesheretofore employed.

I claim asmy invention 1. The combination, with the hot-air andcondensing chambers in an atmospheric engine, and with a reciprocatingdisplacing-piston moving within the two chambers and serving as amovable partition between them,ofa flame-inlet port in the outer end ofthe hot-air chamher, aburner placed opposite said port,so that its flameand products of combustion may enter it directly, a communicatingpassage connecting the proximate ends of the two chambers, valvescontrolling, respectively, the flameinlet p0 rt and the communicatingpassage, and actuated automatically by the movement of theengine, so that the communicating-passage shall be opened when theinlet-port is closed and closed when the inlet-port is opened, and anexhaustvalve connected with the condensing-chamber and openingautomatically to permit an outward discharge of air therefrom when thecommunicating-passage is closed, all substantially in the manner and forthe purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination, with the hot-air chamber in an atmospheric engineand its flame-inlet port, of a lamp-burner placed opposite said port,awick-tubeand wick in said lamp, apivoted toothed segment controllingthe wick, a lever-arm fitted to the segment, and a governor upon theengine actuating saidlever, whereby the variable movement of thegovernor operates to raise or lower the lamp wick, and therebyincreaseor decrease the flame supplied to the hotair chamber, all substantiallyin the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The combination, with the hot'air cham ber in an atmospheric engine,aflame-i nlet port in the outer end of said chamber, and a coinmunicating-passage between the proximate ends of the hot-air and condensingchambers, of aslide-valve governing the flame-inlet port, a separateslide-valve governing the communicating passage, arotating shaft drivenby the engine, and eccentrics upon said shaft connected, respectively,with the inlet-valve and the communicating-valve, whereby the inlet-portis positively closed as the communicating-passage is opened, and viceversa, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHAS. W. WEISS.

\Vitnesses:

A. N. J EsnEnA, S. A. STARUS.

